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7-year-old girl takes wheel when dad overdoses while driving, reports say

Medics helped girl steer car to a stop
Posted at 8:50 AM, Jul 25, 2017
and last updated 2017-07-25 08:50:29-04

A little girl steered her father's car to a stop on a New York City street after he allegedly overdosed behind the wheel last week.

Eric Roman, 37, suffered an apparent opioid overdose while driving in Brooklyn on July 20, according to the New York Daily News. Roman's 7-year-old daughter was in the back seat when it happened and reportedly told medics, "My dad was sleeping so I was going to finish driving home."

The girl was found sitting in Roman's lap with her hands on the steering wheel after the car had crashed into the back of an FDNY ambulance around 5 p.m. local time, according to New York's WCBS-TV.

The low-speed crash happened across the street from Coney Island Hospital, where Roman was taken after being revived by medics.

The girl was unhurt in the crash. It's unclear how far she drove the car but one medic told the New York Daily News that her legs were too short for her feet to reach the pedals.

Roman faces multiple charges, including driving while intoxicated and acting in a manner injurious to a child, according to WCBS.

Clint Davis is a reporter for the Scripps National Desk. Follow him on Twitter @MrClintDavis. Keep up to date with the latest news by following @ScrippsNational on Twitter.